Contents 9 sections
- The whey protein pancake recipe
- Nutrition figures for one whey protein pancake
- Fromage blanc or Greek-style yoghurt in the batter
- Which whey should you choose for protein pancakes
- Our tips for fluffy whey protein pancakes
- How long do whey protein pancakes keep
- Our alternative: protein pancakes without whey
- Our verdict on whey protein pancakes
- Frequently asked questions
Summarise this article with:
💡 The essentials
A single scoop of whey (30 g) is enough for the whole batter: with the oats, the eggs and the fromage blanc, it makes 6 pancakes at around 9.5 g of protein and 99 kcal each. A serving of 3 pancakes gives you around 28 g of protein.
- Whey we recommend: an unflavoured or vanilla isolate, lower in lactose.
- The trick: 0% fat fromage blanc rather than Greek-style yoghurt, for more protein and less fat.
Whey protein pancakes are the simplest way to turn a Sunday breakfast into a proper high-protein meal. One spoonful of whey brings what the other ingredients would need a whole plate to deliver, and it changes nothing about the way you make pancakes.
The trap is adding too much: beyond one scoop per batch, the batter turns drier and more expensive for very little gain. Here is our recipe measured to the gram, its calculated nutrition figures, and our advice on choosing the whey that goes into it.
🍳 The whey protein pancake recipe
- Preparation: 10 minutes
- Cooking: about 5 minutes per batch
- Makes: 6 pancakes, that is 2 servings of 3
Ingredients
- 60 g porridge oats, blitzed into flour
- 30 g unflavoured or vanilla whey isolate (one scoop)
- 2 eggs (about 100 g without the shells)
- 100 ml skimmed milk (or almond drink)
- 100 g plain 0% fat fromage blanc (a fresh French cheese, close to a thick natural yoghurt)
- 10 g honey
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A little coconut oil for the pan
Method
- In a bowl, mix the oat flour, the whey and the baking powder.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, the milk, the fromage blanc and the honey until smooth.
- Pour the dry mix into the wet mix and stir just enough for no dry powder to be left.
- Heat the pan over a medium heat with a little coconut oil.
- Pour one ladle of batter per pancake and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear.
- Flip them and brown the other side for 1 to 2 minutes.
📊 Nutrition figures for one whey protein pancake
Each pancake gives you around 9.5 g of protein for 99 kcal, not counting the cooking oil. The breakdown for 1 pancake (one sixth of the recipe):
- Calories: around 99 kcal
- Protein: around 9.5 g
- Carbohydrate: around 9 g (of which sugars: 2.8 g)
- Fat: around 2.5 g (of which saturates: 0.6 g)
- Fibre: around 1.1 g
A serving of 3 pancakes works out at around 28 g of protein for 298 kcal, which lands squarely inside the 20 to 40 g of protein per serving retained by the ISSN position stand on protein and exercise. Nearly half of that protein comes from the whey: the 30 g scoop provides 27 g of it according to the label.
🔬 Our method
These figures are calculated from public sources, not measured in a laboratory. For the whey, we took the label of the unflavoured Nutripure whey isolate (380 kcal, 89 g of protein in the finished product, 3 g of carbohydrate and 1.9 g of fat per 100 g). For every other ingredient (porridge oats, raw egg, UHT skimmed milk, plain 0% fat fromage blanc, honey), we used the per-100 g values from the ANSES Ciqual table (in French), counting 50 g for a medium egg without its shell. The baking powder is ignored; add around 45 kcal per 5 g of coconut oil you use. A flavoured whey or another brand will shift the result slightly: run the numbers again with your own label.
⚖️ Fromage blanc or Greek-style yoghurt in the batter?
Plenty of protein pancake recipes, including the old version of this one, use Greek-style yoghurt. The trouble is that the Greek-style yoghurt sold in France is a creamy yoghurt, not a strained, protein-rich one: the Ciqual table gives it 3 g of protein and 8.2 g of fat per 100 g, against 7.3 g of protein and less than 0.1 g of fat for 0% fat fromage blanc. On the same recipe, here is what that one ingredient changes:
| Per pancake | With 0% fat fromage blanc | With Greek-style yoghurt |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 9.5 g ★★★★★ | 8.8 g ★★★★☆ |
| Fat | 2.5 g ★★★★☆ | 3.9 g ★★★☆☆ |
| Saturates | 0.6 g ★★★★★ | 1.5 g ★★★☆☆ |
| Calories | 99 kcal ★★★★☆ | 108 kcal ★★★☆☆ |
The 0% fat fromage blanc wins on every criterion, and it lends a creaminess to the batter. If you can find skyr, it plays the same role: just check its protein content on the label.
🥛 Which whey should you choose for protein pancakes?
For this recipe, we recommend a whey isolate: more heavily filtered than a whey concentrate, it contains less lactose and less fat. The unflavoured Nutripure isolate, for instance, states 0.2 g of lactose per 100 g on its label, which makes it easier to tolerate if you digest lactose badly. The differences between the two are set out in our article on whey isolate vs whey concentrate.
On flavour, an unflavoured or vanilla whey is the most versatile: the unflavoured one lets the honey and the toppings come through, while vanilla gives a baked-cake taste. Chocolate flavours work too, but they colour the batter. To compare products, see our ranking of the best whey isolate.
To find a good quality whey isolate, go to Nutripure (the shop ships from France). Click the button below:
✅ Our tips for fluffy whey protein pancakes
- Do not go beyond one scoop per 60 g of oats: whey soaks up liquid and makes the batter drier when it dominates.
- Stir as little as possible once the powders are in, as an over-worked batter gives more rubbery pancakes.
- Cook over a medium heat, not a fierce one: whey batters brown quickly on the surface.
- Batter too thick? Add milk a spoonful at a time.
- For variety, add blueberries, dark chocolate chips or cinnamon, counting them in your calories.
🕒 How long do whey protein pancakes keep?
Keep them for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 2 to 3 months in the freezer, in a box or an airtight bag. Those are the times Health Canada (in French) gives for cooked egg-based dishes. Handy for making a double batch at the weekend and popping them in the toaster on weekday mornings.
🌱 Our alternative: protein pancakes without whey
No whey to hand, or no wish to buy any? Our recipe for protein pancakes without whey swaps the powder for fromage blanc and egg whites, for around 22 g of protein per serving. You can also use a plant protein powder (pea, rice, soya) in place of the whey, adding a little more milk: those powders often soak up more liquid.
🏆 Our verdict on whey protein pancakes
This is the most effective protein pancake recipe we offer: 28 g of protein per serving with everyday ingredients and a single scoop of whey. Made at home, you choose your whey and your sweetener, which is not the case with ready-made protein pancakes or powdered pancake mixes, where you have to read the ingredient list before you buy.
It is not for you if you are allergic to milk or eggs, or if you are vegan. Nor is there much point if your meals already cover your protein needs: whey is a convenient supplement, not an obligation, as we explain in our guide to how much whey protein per day. Want more ideas? Our whey protein crepes and all our whey protein recipes are waiting for you.
⚠️ Watch out
Whey is a milk protein: if you are allergic to milk proteins it is off the menu, even as an isolate. If you have kidney disease, if you are pregnant or if you are on medication, ask your doctor before adding a protein supplement to your diet.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can you cook whey in pancakes?
Yes, cooking changes the structure of the whey proteins but it does not make them disappear. Just like an egg white as it cooks, the proteins “unfold” (this is called denaturation), and their amino acids stay in the pancake. The only noticeable effect is on texture, which can turn drier if the whey dominates the batter.
How much whey should you put in pancakes?
One 30 g scoop for about 60 g of oat flour and 2 eggs, which makes 6 pancakes. That is enough to get around 9.5 g of protein per pancake without drying out the batter. More whey raises the protein, but also the cost and the risk of rubbery pancakes.
Which whey for pancakes: isolate or concentrate?
Both work, but the isolate is lower in lactose and in fat. Choose it if you digest lactose badly. An unflavoured concentrate is still a perfectly decent option if you tolerate lactose well.
Are ready-made protein pancake mixes worth it?
They will get you out of a fix, but a homemade recipe lets you choose every ingredient. Before buying, compare the protein content per 100 g, the sugars and the presence of sweeteners or additives on the label.
